Cigarette package container



' May 10, 1932. M G. DE MAZIROFF 1,858,200

CIGARETTE PACKAGE CONTAINER Original Filed Aug. 22, 1930 INVENTOR GEORGE DE MAZIROFF ATTORNEY Patented May 10, 1932 I UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE DE MAZIROFF, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL AUTOMATIC CONTAINER CORPORATION, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF MARY- LAND CIGARETTE PACKAGE CONTAINER Application filed August 22, 1930, Serial This invention relates to improvements in cigarette package containers, particularly that type of container adapted to hold the usual paper or tin foil pack of cigarettes, and is an improvement in part on my copending application Scr. No. 412,387 filed December '2', 1929.

An object of this invention is to provide ardevice adapted to slice the top of a pack of cigarettes for part of its length automatically and also destroy the revenue stamp thereon as the pack is placed therein. Another object is to provide a cigarette container wherein the loose flap formed by slicing the top of the pack as it is placed'in the container, is automatically disposed in such position in the container that it does not interfere with the removal of cigarettes from the container.

Another object is to provide a blade particularly adapted for slicing the top of apack of cigarettes and a holder therefor from which the blade may easily be removed and replaced. A further object is to provide means whereby cigarettes may be easily removed from the device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container which will protect the cigarettes from crushing regardless of whether the pack is full or nearly empty.

The device of this invention is one adapt ed to hold a pack of cigarettes and comprises a container, preferably of metal, of substantially the same shape as the pack to be held, having one end and a portion of the top adjacent its opposite end open, a movable cover adapted to close the opening in the top of the container, and a blade adapted to lie parallel to the top of said container and present its cutting edge toward the open end of the container, said blade being spaced sufficiently below the top of the container so that it is ada ted to engage the pack of cigarettes slig tly below the top thereof and slice the top thereof upon relative movement of the blade and pack.

More specifically, the top of the container is open except for a narrow top wall adjacent its open end and the cover is hinged to the inner edge of the top wall. The cover is pro- No. 477,025. Renewed February24, 1932.

form the outer cutting edges of apexes. A

thumb hole is provided in the bottom of the container opposite the open part thereof to facilitate removal of cigarettes from the in serted pack.

To understand the invention more fully, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a cigarette package container embodying the invention showing a pack of cigarettes partially insorted and the cover of the container closed.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 in the direction of thearrows. A i

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of the con tainer shown in Fig. 1 with the pack of cigarettes' fully inserted and the cover raised.

Fig. 4c is a. section taken on the line H of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a top lan view illustrating the preferred form of blade to be used in the container.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan View.

The device illustrated comprises a substantially rectangular container, preferably made of metal, having side walls 1, a single end wall 2, bottom 3, and the narrow top wall For example," the width of'the usual fpacklof cigarettes is 14/16 of an inch and the container to hold these packs ispreferablyv made 14/16 of an inch in width atthe preferably provided with spring means to swing it into open position, no such means being shown in the drawings as it does not form part of the present invention and may be of any conventional design. To hold the engage a similar projection wall 2 of the container; The wall 2 is' cover shut against such spring action or an accidental jolt, the end wall 13 of the cover is providedwith projection 14 adapted to '15 on the end stamped out to formv a knob 18 which may be pushed to release the cover.

Disposed in the cover 11 is a blade holder 25 consisting of a piece of metal doubled back i on itself and soldered to the side walls 12 of the cover parallel to but spaced from the top of the cover.11.

This blade holder frictionally holds the blade 26, the holder being indented at 28 and a hole 29 being provided in the blade 26 to cooperate therewith to more securely hold the blade.

As is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the blade is held in position parallel to but spaced low the top of the cover 11 and presents its cutting edge, when the cover is closed,

toward the open end of the container. the blade extending to about the inner edge of cover 11. In use, a pack of cigarettes is inserted in the open end of the container with the cover closed and pushed all the way in.

j The blade 26 is positioned to engage the pack above the cigarettes and slits the top as the I top of the cover.

. cigarettes may be easily The blade 26 shown in the drawings is parpack is pushed in, the cut portion of the top of'the pack going between the blade and the After the pack is inserted, the cover 11 is swung up, carrying with it the slit part of the pack and exposing the cigarettes as shown. in Fig. 2. A thumb hole, 30 is providedin the bottom 3 of the container opposite the open part of the top so that the pushed out.

,ticularly suited for use in the present device. It consists of a flat piece of metal having a substantially rectangular back portion 40 which is not sharpened and is adapted to be inserted in the blade holder 25 and abut against the rear of the holder as shownin Figs. 1 and 3; The blade has a front cutting portion formed into a pair of apexes 41 and 42 and side cutting edges 43 and 44: extending parallel to each other-and at right angles to the back edge for a portion of their length the cutting edge.

andthen sloping inwardly at 45 and 46'to form the outer cutting edges of the apexes 41 and -12, respectively. Preferably the blade is curved slightly at 45 and '{16,.it being found that the top of the pack of cigarettes is cut more smoothly'when'the blade is-rounded at these points rather than brought to a definite angle.

The blade is provided with a second hole 48 whichis notcovered by the holder 25, the purpose of thehole48 being to facilitate removal of the blade by inserting apin or knife point in the hole.

The blade shown in the drawings is especially advantageous for, this'purpose'as the i two apexes pierce the pack and'the sides of the pack adjacent its top 'are smoothly cut edges of the blade. T he blade,

by the outside except for the base 40 is made slightly less in width than the cover butwiderthan the pack to be cut. -In a container for holding the usual size packs of cigarettes the base of the blade is made a shade less than one inch in width to seat surely in the holder, the cover being one inch in width, and the maximum width of the cutting edge of the blade is made 15/16 of an inch so as to exceed the width of the pack by 1/32 of an inch on each side and leaving a spaceof 1/32 of an inch between the blade and side wall 12 of the container at the point of maximum width of lVhen the blade becomes dull it can be removed and sharpened or replaced by a new blade.

To accurately guide the pack of cigarettes ten out at the open end of the container. The

corners 3?) of the container adjacent its closed end are extended somewhat above the walls of the container to guide the cover 11 to its proper closed position and also to hold it more securely in that position.

The invention claimed is:

1. A device adapted to hold a pack of cigarettes comprising a container of substantially the same shape as the pack to be held, having one end and a portion of-the top adjacent the opposite end thereof open, a movable coi'er adapted to close the opening in the top of the container, a blade holder carried by said cover and arranged to frictionally hold the top of the pack is sliced the pack to be held, having cover and arranged to frictionally hold a blade parallel to and slightly below thetop I of said container, and a removable blade disposed in said holder, said blade comprising a fiat piece of metal having an unsharpened back portion adapted to fit in the blade holder and a front portion having cutting edges along the sides and front thereof.

3. A device adapted to hold a pack of cigarettes comprising a container of substantially the same shape as the pack to be held, having one end and aportion of the top adjacent the opposite end thereof open, a movable cover adapted to close the opening in the top of the container, a blade holder carried by said cover and arranged to frictionally hold a blade parallel to and slightly below the top of said container, and a removable blade disposed in said holder, said blade comprising a flat piece of metal having an unsharpened back portion adapted to fit in the blade holder and 'a front portion having cutting edges along the sides and front thereof, the front portion of said blade being adapted to extend beyond the blade holder and being provided with a hole therein to facilitate re moval of the blade by a pointed instrument.

4. A device adapted to hold a pack of cigarettes comprising a container of substantially the same shape as the pack to be held, having one end and a portion of the top adjacent the opposite end thereof open, a movable cover adapted to close the opening in the top of the container, a blade holder carried by said cover and arranged to frictionally hold a blade parallel to and slightly below the top of said container, and a removable blade disposed in said holder, said blade comprising a flat piece of metal having an unsharpened ba'ck edge adapted to abut against the rear of the blade holder and a front cutting portion formed into a pair of apexes and side cutting edges extending parallel to each other for a portion of their length and then sloping inwardly to form the outer cutting edges of the apexes.

5. A device adapted to hold a pack of ciga rettes comprising a container of substantially the same shape as the pack to beheld, having one end and a portion of the top adjacent the opposite end thereof open, a movable cover adapted to close the opening in the top of the container. side Walls carried by said cover, a blade holder comprising a piece of metal doubled on itself attached to said Walls and spaced from the top of said cover and arranged to frictionally hold a blade parallel to and spaced from the top of the cover. and a blade disposed in said holder and presenting its cutting edge toward the open end of said container whereby the top of the pack cut upon relative movement of the pack and blade.

6. A device adapted to hold a pact; of ciga rettes comprising a container having a bottom substantially the same shape and size as the bottom of the pack of cigarettes to be held and a top 2/16 of an inch Wider than the bot tom, said container having one end and a major portion of the top adjacent the opposite end open,'a rectangular cover hingedly attached to the top and adapted in closed position to lie parallel to said top and close the opening therein, depending side walls carried by said cover, a blade holder attached to said walls and spaced from'the top of the cover and arranged to frictionall hold a blade parallel to and spaced from t e top of the cover, and a removable blade 1/16 of an inch Wider than the bottom of the container disposed in said holder and adapted to engage the pack of cigarettes slightly below the top thereof and'cut the top as the pack is inserted through the open end of the container.

7. A device adapted to hold a pack of cigarettes comprising a container of substantially the same shape as the pack to be held, having one end and a portion of the top adjacent the opposite end thereof open, a movable cover attached to the top and adapted in closed position to lie parallel to said top and close the opening therein, depending side walls carried by said cover, a blade holder attached to said Walls and spaced from the i arettes comprising a container of substantially the same shape as the pack to be held, having one end and a major portion of the top adjacent the opposite end thereof open, a cover hinged to the top and adapted in closed position to lie parallel to said top and close the opening therein, depending side Walls carried by said cover. a blade holder comprising a piece of metal doubled on itself attached to said side walls and spaced from the top of the cover, said holder being arranged to frictionally hold a blade parallel to and spaced from the top of the cover, and a removable blade disposed in said holder and adapted to engage the pack of cigarettes slightly below the top thereof and cut the top as the pack is inserted through the open end of the container.

9. A device adapted to hold a pack of cigarettes comprising a container of substantially the same shape as the pack to be held,

comprising a piece of metal doubled on itself attached to said side Walls and spaced from i the top of the cover, said holder being arranged to trictionally hold a blade parallel to and spaced from the top of the cover, and a removable blade disposed in said holder and arranged to engage the pack of cigarettes slightly below the top thereof and out the top the pack is inserted through the open end of the container, said blade holder being provided with an indentation and said blade being provided with a hole adapted to cooperate with said indentation to hold the blade securely.

10. A device adapted to hold a pack of cig' arettes comprising a container of substantially the same shape as the pack to be held, having one end open to admit the pack and a portion of the top adjacent the opposite end open to permit the cigarettes to be removed, and a blade spaced from the top of the container having a front cutting edge toward the open end of the container and side cutting edges substantially parallel to each other for at least a portion of their length.

11. A device adapted to hold a pack i i-g;-

arettes comprising a container ofsubstantially the same shape as the pack to be held, having one end open to admit the pack and a portion of the top adjacent the opposite end open to permit the cigarettes to be removed, and a blade spaced from the top of the container having a front cutting edge toward the open end of the container and side cuttin edges substantially parallel to each other and -further apart than the width of the pack to be cut.

12. A device adapted to hold a pack of cigarettes comprising a container of substantially the same shape as the pack to be held, having one end open to admit the pack and a portion of the top adjacent the opposite end open to permit the cigarettes to be removed,

a movable cover adapted to close the opening in the top of the container, and a blade secured to and spaced slightly from said cover having a front cutting edge toward the open end of the container and side cutting edges substantially parallel to each other and spaced from the edges of said cover.

Signed at New .York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 21st day of August, A. D. 1930.

GEORGE E MAzIRoFF. 

